1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to refractory metal nitride layers within microelectronic fabrications. More particularly, the present invention relates to refractory metal nitride layers with enhanced performance within microelectronic fabrications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Microelectronic fabrications are formed from microelectronic substrates over which are formed patterned microelectronic conductor layers which are separated by microelectronic dielectric layers.
As microelectronic fabrication integration levels have increased and patterned microelectronic conductor layer dimensions have decreased, it has become increasingly common in the art of microelectronic fabrication to fabricate within microelectronic fabrications patterned microelectronic conductor layers formed of copper containing conductor materials. Patterned microelectronic conductor layers formed within microelectronic fabrications of copper containing conductor materials are desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication insofar as copper containing conductor materials have generally enhanced electrical properties in comparison with other conductor materials which may be employed for forming patterned microelectronic conductor layers within microelectronic fabrications.
While copper containing conductor materials are thus desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication for forming patterned micorelectronic conductor layers within microelectronic fabrications, copper containing conductor materials are nonetheless not entirely without problems in the art of microelectronic fabrication for forming patterned microelectronic conductor layers within microelectronic fabrications.
In that regard, patterned microelectronic conductor materials formed of copper containing conductor materials within microelectronic fabrications are often susceptible to interdiffusion with adjoining microelectronic materials formed within microelectronic fabrications. Similarly, while barrier layers and barrier materials are known in the art of microelectronic fabrication for inhibiting interdiffusion of copper containing conductor materials within microelectronic fabrications, use of such barrier materials often compromises electrical performance of microelectronic fabrications.
It is thus desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication to provide methods and materials for forming within microelectronic fabrications patterned microelectronic conductor layers formed of copper containing conductor materials, with inhibited interdiffusion and enhanced performance.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
Various microelectronic conductor structures having desirable properties, and methods for fabrication thereof, have been disclosed in the art of microelectronic fabrication.
Included among the microelectronic conductor structures and methods for fabrication thereof, but not limiting among the microelectronic conductor structures and methods for fabrication thereof, are microelectronic conductor structures and methods for fabrication thereof disclosed within: (1) Chiang et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,699 (a method for forming, with inhibited physical stress, a tantalum or tantalum nitride barrier layer for use within a microelectronic conductor structure, by varying, as appropriate, process variables within a sputtering method employed for forming the tantalum or tantalum nitride barrier layer); (2) Lin et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,140,231 (a method for forming, with inhibited interdiffusion, a copper containing conductor structure within a microelectronic fabrication, by forming within the copper containing conductor structure a tantalum nitride barrier layer formed as a bilayer tantalum nitride barrier layer with misaligned grain boundaries); and (3) Hautala et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,288 (a method for forming, with improved microstructure properties and reduced resistivity, a tantalum nitride barrier layer for use within a microelectronic conductor structure, by treating a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) deposited tantalum nitride barrier layer with a hydrogen plasma).
Desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication are additional methods and materials which may be employed in the art of microelectronic fabrication for forming, with inhibited interdiffusion and enhanced performance microelectronic conductor structures within microelectronic fabrications.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.